Annapolis Capital Punishment

Is anybody else concerned about all these Homeland Security cameras popping up all over the place? The Capital, with a rather "eye opening" photo on today's front page, paints a glossy picture about these new cameras, supposedly designed to thwart supposed terrorists.

I see this as another sign of creeping fascism. What about you?
Look what happened when we put up unmonitored cameras at certain traffic lights to catch and hopefully thwart motorists flying through red lights! All kinds of people freaked out and whined and complained that there rights were being violated. CP wondered why anyone except red-light runners would be worried. It was clearly being done to catch the bad guys and protect the good guys. And they only snapped a photo if you ran a red light. But video cameras with the capability to follow and zoom in on someone? And if you remember 9-11 (duh!)we caught Mohammed Atta and the others entering airports on camera--as if that helped stop them!

Furthermore, we can't seem to get enough police on the street, partially because of so-called homeland security and our boondoggle in Iraq. We are slip-sliding into economic depression and a future with less and less yet more expensive oil as we continue to rush on into this meeting with disaster. Rather than creating an energy independent, freer and more democratic world, we are using these supposed threats to clamp down on our privacy and personal freedom here.

Most people interviewed in The Capital seem rather unconcerned. Read this one quote:

"Today we have terrorists. We have to give up some of our liberties in order to be secure. That's what we have to do," said Louis Perez, who was visiting from Washington, D.C.

In other words, if the government says we have terrorists and that this will protect us, I believe the government. Oh yeah. See you at the firing squad. It will be for our own good. The police, who were rather hush-hush about this until questioned, or so says The Capital, say their "ultimate plan" is to have 44 of these in Annapolis!

Just read what Ward One Association President Doug Smith says, "As law-abiding citizens, we don't have any concern about the cameras recording things, and I think they do help."

Okay then. Let's focus one on his doorstep or bedroom. After all, he has nothing to fear.

This is the same Department of Homeland Security that gave our city an armored vehicle. Was that for putting down terrorist attacks or perhaps citizen insurrection?

Consider this. Hundreds and hundreds of people were freaking out over a $25 tax for sidewalks, yet here we have tens of thousands of federal dollars (our dollars too!) spent on cameras to monitor us. I just can't wait to see the headline about the parents walking their children on the sidewalk when one of them slips on a hole, a crack, a joint and gets severely injured. Will the police and city provide the camera images of the incident when requested by the court if it might mean the city will be shown to have been liable? Or will it be conveniently lost?

I think we need cameras and recording devices on Bush and Cheney and to be broadcast live all day long. I know somebody is going to roll their eyes and call me crazy about this one, but why is it that while Americans have become increasingly wary and distrustful of our government, we seem willing to acquiesce when it tells us it is for our own safety?

What ever happened to the idea as expressed by patriot Patrick Henry who uttered "Give me liberty of give me death? Now we seem to be saying give us safety and security above liberty. We seem to be saying it's okay for us to kill a million Iraqis and lose thousands of our own soldiers who are fighting for our freedom, yet we are wiling to live more timidly and give up some of those freedoms at the same time. More Americans die as a result of red light runners each year than were killed in Iraq each year.
And finally, why don't we put one of these cameras up at the home by the library on West Street and catch the anti-American SOB's who keep defacing the sign that daily reminds us of the true costs of our misadventure in Iraq???? That would be doing some real good for freedom and democracy.

Instead, we say no to red light cameras that earn revenue, no to a tiny sidewalk tax, all of which enhance our safety and security, but yes to police-monitored cameras that cost big bucks.

See The Capital at: http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2008/07_13-32/TOP